Railway-crossing signal



Aug. 5. 19924. 1,504,074

' R. L. MUNDELL RAILWAY CROSSING SIGNAL l b@ Foed May 10 1924 2 sheens-sneez 1 gjm/mento@ R. L. MUNDELL RILWAIr CROSSING SIGNAL Filed May lO 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet f5 Patented Aug. 5, 1924.

vSTATES ROBE-RT L, MUNDELL,

OF OSKALOOSA, IOWA.

RAILWAY-CROSSING SIGNAL.

Application led May 10,

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ROBERT L. MUNDELL, a citizen of the United States of JAmerica, residing at Oskaloosa, in the county of Mahaska and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Crossing Signals; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in railway crossing signals, having for an object to provide a mechanical automatic crossing signal adapted to be operated to audibly and visually warn persons of the approach of a train iny a timely manner, the invention including a novel formV of trip actuated motion transmitting means whereby the audible and visual alarms are caused to operate with movement of the wheels of a train thereover.

It is likewise an object of the invention to provide a railway crossing signal employing a novel 'form of audible and visual signalling means, the same being ycollectively operable through connection with the trip actuated motion transmitting means in a manner to attract and staythe attention of traflic ator'in proximity to the equipped railway crossing.

Other objects of the invention will be in part obvious, and in part4 pointed out hereinafter. v

In order that the invention and its mode of operation may be readily understood by persons skilled in the Yart, I have in the accompanying 'illustrative drawings, and in the detailed following description based thereupon, set outone possible embodiment of the same.`

In these drawings Y Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved jsignal'arranged in operative position at a railway crossing;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the same;

` Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlarged detail in sectionshowing the mounting of the trip actuated arm adjacent one of the railway tracks; and,

Figure 4 is an end elevation ofthe trip actuated motion transmitting and converting means.

fHav-ing more particular reference tothe drawings, in connection lwith which like 1924. Serial No. 712,400.

characters of reference will designate correspending parts throughout, 1 represents the parallel tracks of a railway which intersect a roadway designated in its entirety herein by the numeral 2.

The improved crossing signal may be stated to comprise a supporting frame consistlng of vertically and horizontally arranged bars, rods, or other suitable devices indicated in its entirety by the numeral 3', such frame being arranged at a point sufficient distant from the railway crossing and having opposed balls 3 xedly mounted upon the upper portion thereof, while a striking hammer 4 is pivotally mounted upon one of the horizontal 'members of said frame 3 as is indicated at 5. A laterally extending supporting arm or bracket 6 is arranged upon that portion of the frame 3 adjacent the corresponding side of the roadway 2 and supports thereon a figure 7, simulating a traffic officer. One of the arms of this figure 7, namely, the arm indicated by the numeral 8 is pivotally mounted upon the body and adjacent the shoulder of said vfigure 7, as is indicated at 9, and has a portion of the same extended and connected to a rod 10 pivotally connected at its remaining end to the lower portion of the bell striking hammer 4 as indicated at 11. Thus, it Vwill be seen that the visual and audible signals constituted by the arm S and the bells 3 are collectively operable. f

Vith a view towards providing means for etfectually operating the audible and visual signals aforesaid, supporting arms 12 and 13 are Vsecuredlto extended portions of certain of the sleepers or ties of the railway track 1, as is Vclearly shown in the Figure 1, preferably by'spikes or similar fastening devices 14. The inner ends of these arms 12 are curved upwardly, as is indicated by the numeral 14 and engage with the web portions of the adjacentfrailway tracks in the manner shown in the Figure 3, the adjacent marginal portions of such curved portions 14 of the arms 12 and 13 engaging directly under the tread portions of the railway tracks. A. bracing arm or bar curved longitudinally upon itself and indicated by the numeral 15, is arranged transversely 'of the curved ends 14' of the arms 12 and 13 and is joined to adjacent portions of such arms through the medium of bolts or other suitable fastening devices 16. Vertically positioned bearing brackets portions of said railway track and to be normally extended vfor a distance 4slightly `above .the same -as is clearly shown in the Figures 3 and 4. To limit this upward movement of the inner-end or' the trip arm 19 carrying the right angularly disposed finger 21, a stop bar or rod 22 is secured at its opposite extremity vto adjacent `portions of the bars 15 and by being arranged directly over theladjacent portion of said trip arm 19, of course, will serve to limit its upward movement and in consequence, ensure proper positioning of the trip linger 21 with respect to the railway track tread.

The outer portion of the trip arm `19 is bent or curved upwardly, as Yindicated by :the numeral 19 and is formed with a laterally extending extremity, adapted to be connected through'` the medium of a bracket '23 to the adjacent end of a connecting rod 24, the purpose of which will be presently apparent. l

A standard 25 is immovably mounted upon the outer-end of the arm 12 and pivotally supports upon its upper portion a bell crank lever 26, having one end thereof 'connected to a bell crank lever 27 to the adjacent end of the connecting rod 24, while the opposite end of the same is connected to a motion transmitting rod 28, such rod having-its opposite extremity pivotally connected to the lower end of ythe bell striking hammer 4, this latter 'being retained in its 'normal position through the vmedium of a contractile coiled spring'29 connected at one end to the same, while its remaining end is lconnected to anA adjacent portion of the supporting Jframe 3. Thus, it will be un- `derstood'that with depression*v of the trip .finger 21,'the trip arm 19 will be rocked,

Vlever 26, whereupon such-v motion will be thereby causing upward `movement of the' curved extremity 19 of the same andimparting a rocking motion to the bell crank converted` into a reciprocatory motion and transmitted by way of the rodl28 to the piv otally mountedf bell striking hammer 4. Hence, the hammerl4 will :alternately strike the opposed bells '3 and additionally, will effect pivotal movement of the signalling arm '8 mounted'rupon the Figure 7. The ycollective operation oi the visual and audi- :ble 'signals will ofcourse continue in so long as the intermittent engagement of Vthe wheels of the railwayV rolling stock passing over the railway tracks 1 continue to engage with the trip finger 21 of the trip arm 19.

In order that the trip nger 21 of the arm 19 will-be normally retained in its extended position whereby to be engaged by the tread portion of railway rolling stock passing over the tracks 1, a contractile coiled spring 30 may be and preferably is connected at one end to the laterally `tended curved portion 19 of the Varm 19, while its remaining end is connected kto an adjacent portion of the arm 13. Y To additionally brace the trip actuated means with respect to the adjacent railway track, hooked rods 31 are provided having the hooked ends thereof engaged under and with theV basal portions. of said railway track, as is clearly shown in the Figures 1 and 3, the outer ends of such rods passing through the apertured yends of a curved bracing bar 3Q and having nuts 33 turned into engagement withthe sameV for an obvious purpose. This curved bracing l'bar 32 is preferably secured by rivets, bolts, vor other suitable` fastening devices 'indicated at 33 to adjacent port-ions of the arms ,'12 and 13. Thus, means will be provided `for rigidifying the arms 12 vand '13 and likewise, for positively 'bracing the trip actuated means against 'relativery movement laterally with respect to the railway track withwh'ich they are operatively associated. VConsequently, operation of the trip actuated means by engagement with the wheelsof rolling stock passing over the tracks 1 will be ensured at all times. f Y

The modus operandi of my improved railway crossing signal may befreviewed'as follows: y Y

It is to `be' understood, of course, that the audible ,and visual signal means are Vafrranged at a point upon 'the roadway sufficiently distantromthe railway crossing to give timely warning and signal to traiiic moving thereover.V Also, it iis'to lbegunder-v stood that the lengtlijof the motion transrangement of the trip actuated fmeans at a point distant JfromY the audibleand' visual Y signal'mea-ns.

With movement over the upwardly extended Vitrip finger 21 of the trip arm 19, it vwill 'be understood that said finger will be depressed, and in consequence, a rocking motion will be imparted to the trip arm 19 causinga similar of the wheels'o a train'V motion to be transmitted-to the bell crank lever 26 through the medium 'of the4 connecting rod 24, which by reason of its connection with the rod 28 will4 imparta reciprocal motion thereto and in consequence,

Vwill operate the pivotally mounted bell striking hammer "4 `to alternately strike the opposed bells 3 and to likewise collectively cause swinging movement of the pivotally mounted signal arm 8 arranged upon the `gire 7. In this way, it will be understood that a timely audible and visual signal or warning will be imparted to trai'lic upon the roadway 2, permitting the saine to Vcome to a full stop or to proceed with the necessary caution to avoid accidents.

Manifestly, the construction shown is capable of considerable modification, and such modification as is within the scope of my claim, I consider within the spirit of my invention.

I claim:-

A railway crossing signal comprising a supporting frame arranged at a point adjacent from the point of intersection of the railway tracks with the roadway, opposed bells immovably supported upon said frame, a figure immovably supported laterally of said frame, a visual signal arm pivotally mounted on said figure, a bell striking hammer pivotally mounted upon the frame and adapted to alternately engage said opposed bells, means for connecting the bell striking hammer to one end of said visual signal arm, supporting arms secured to certain of the slepers of the railway tracks, bearings on said supporting arms, a trip arm pivotally mounted between said bearings having one end thereof disposed in proximity to the tread portion of one of the railway tracks and formed with a right angularly disposed trip finger normally extended above the tread portion of said railway tracks, the opposite portion of said trip arm being curved upwardly and formed with a lateral extension, an upright supported upon one of said arms, a bell crank lever mounted upon the upright having one end thereof connected to the lateral extension of said trip arm, a motion transmitting rod connected to the remaining end of said bell crank lever and to one end of the pivotally mounted bell striking hammer, a curved bracing bar arranged transversely of said supporting arms and secured to adjacent portion of the same, and rods having hooked ends engaged in the opposite extremities of said curved bracing bar and connected to the basal portions of said adjacent railway track.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set m hand.

y ROBERT L. MUNDELL. 

